A Closer Look at “Ban the Box” Rules

job applications

Many businesses haven’t changed their hiring procedures much in recent years. “If it works, why mess with it?” is an oft-heard refrain. While there is a convenience in doing the old-fashioned way, new rules have come into play that may limit how companies can conduct background checks on prospective employees. What is “Ban the Box?”…

Read More

70% of Employers Are Using Social Media to Screen Candidates

social media scrolling

Employers today have a wide variety of screening tools at their disposal. It helps that potential employees, like most Americans, regularly publish information about themselves. More and more companies are using this information – most of it accessible by social media – to pre-check candidates before they put out a job offer. According to a…

Read More

How Far Back Do Pre-Employment Background Checks Go?

Most employers conduct background checks on job applicants as part of the hiring process. A background check can uncover important information such as criminal convictions and can allow an employer to verify an applicant’s education and previous employment. Some employers also check candidates’ credit if they would be working in positions that involve handling money.…

Read More

Are Background Checks Required for Youth Sports Coaches?

Many children of all ages participate in youth sports through their schools or community organizations. Parents enroll their kids in sports to develop their athletic abilities and to teach values like teamwork and social skills. Parents expect their children to be safe and to be trained and supervised by people who are responsible and trustworthy.…

Read More

Home Care & Background Checks

  There is hope that a new law in one state will help protect seniors from the unregulated areas of the home health care industry. The new law in Arizona requires non-medical in-home caregiver agencies to disclose information to consumers about background checks, training, cost of service and hiring and firing policies. This supply of…

Read More

Foster Parents and Background Checks

We are looking at another example of the wide-ranging impact of background checks. This time it involves Native American children who are waiting for foster parents. The pool of eligible parents will be subject to background checks. It’s the result of the Native American Children’s Safety Act passed through Congress in June. The bill requires…

Read More

Tribal Land and Background Checks

  As the sun rises on 2015, we look back on news from late 2014 and how it’s impacting background checks. In this case, we’re looking at how the FBI is treating background checks for gun sales on sovereign Indian reservations. The FBI is expanding how those background checks are handled. It’s part of the…

Read More

Background Checks for School Bus Drivers

Something new is taking place for school bus drivers in one area of the country. They will soon have to undergo background checks. It’s happening in Aiken County, South Carolina. Public school officials say potential school bus drivers will be subject to driving and criminal history checks. This comes in the wake of several DUI…

Read More

Firefighter Background Checks

The impact of background checks is making news in New York. Earlier this month, the governor of New York signed legislation into law that beefs up the vetting process for volunteer firefighter organizations. What this basically means is this: Firefighters in New York will face stricter background checks. Applicants for volunteer firefighter positions will have…

Read More